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Challenging the Status Quo to Shape Food Systems Transformation from a Nutritional and Food Security Perspective: Second Edition

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A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Security and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2023) | Viewed by 88996

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. António Raposo

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CBIOS (Research Center for Biosciences and Health Technologies), Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: food safety; food security; food innovation; natural food products; nutrition; public health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Renata Puppin Zandonadi

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Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
Interests: diet; food; foodservice; nutrition; plant-based; gluten-free; sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Raquel Braz Assunção Botelho

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Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
Interests: dietetics; food allergies; food development; foodservice; sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

For decades, food security and nutrition have been prominent elements of the international development agenda. Over time, however, development priorities and challenges have oscillated, and the investment required has not been sustained. A wider consensus has appeared: one that guarantees food security and, in all its aspects, reduces hunger and malnutrition to promote strong economies, human and planetary health, and sustainable development. Our moral imperative is to positively change food systems to ensure that the food we produce is accessible, sustainable, safe, healthy, and equitable for everyone.

Taking into account these premises, and since the topicality of the subject remains emerging and attracts great demand and interest, as demonstrated in the first edition of this Special Issue (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/foods/special_issues/Challenging_Food_Security), we decided to launch a second edition that aims to present original research articles, reviews, and short communications concerning the following:

Access: affordability, allocation, and preference of food;
Availability: the production, distribution, and exchange of food;
Circularity in food systems at local, regional, or global levels;
Development, impact, and ethics of novel and data-driven technologies in food systems;
Food security and policy, governance, institutions, and trade;
Influencing food consumption and demand considering the food environment;
Stability and dynamics of food security aspects;
Sustainable food systems and agro-ecological food production;
Utilization: the nutritional value, social value, and safety of food.

Dr. António Raposo
Prof. Dr. Renata Puppin Zandonadi
Prof. Dr. Raquel Braz Assunção Botelho
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Agro-ecological
Consumer
Environment
Food policy
Food production
Food safety
Food security
Nutrition
Sustainability

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 196 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Challenging the Status Quo to Shape Food Systems Transformation from a Nutritional and Food Security Perspective: Second Edition

by António Raposo, Renata Puppin Zandonadi and Raquel Braz Assunção Botelho

Foods 2023, 12(9), 1825; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12091825 - 28 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1017

Abstract

Access to and choices of food are doubtless beyond the realms of biological and nutritional needs [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenging the Status Quo to Shape Food Systems Transformation from a Nutritional and Food Security Perspective: Second Edition)

Research

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21 pages, 2011 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Potential Forage Hybrid Markets for Enhancing Sustainability and Food Security in East Africa

by John Jairo Junca Paredes, Jesús Fernando Florez, Karen Johanna Enciso Valencia, Luís Miguel Hernández Mahecha, Natalia Triana Ángel and Stefan Burkart

Foods 2023, 12(8), 1607; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12081607 - 10 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2005

Abstract

The cattle sector is strategic for both the economic development and food security of Africa, but the low availability and quality of forage puts the most vulnerable population at risk. Hybrid forages are an alternative for enhancing both food security and sustainability of the sector but adoption levels are still low in Africa, which is related to various factors such as the availability of seeds. This document analyzes potential markets for new interspecific hybrids of Urochloa and potential hybrids of Megathyrsus maximus, adapted to the environmental conditions of eastern and partially western Africa, applying a four-step methodology based on estimating (i) required forage amounts for each country according to its dairy herd, (ii) potential hectares for forage cultivation based on (i), (iii) hectares that can be covered by the two hybrids of interest according to a Target Population of Environment approach, and (iv) potential market values for each country and hybrid. The results show a potential market of 414,388 ha for new interspecific hybrids of Urochloa and 528,409 ha for potential hybrids of Megathyrsus maximus, with approximate annual values of 73.5 and 101.1 million dollars, respectively. Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Kenya hold a market share of 70% for Urochloa, and South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Tanzania a 67% market share for Megathyrsus maximus. The results will help different actors in decision-making, i.e., regarding private sector investments in forage seed commercialization or public sector incentives supporting adoption processes, and thus contribute to increasing food security and sustainability in the region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenging the Status Quo to Shape Food Systems Transformation from a Nutritional and Food Security Perspective: Second Edition)

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14 pages, 2549 KiB

Open AccessArticle

by Saiful Islam, Abira Nowar, Md. Ruhul Amin and Nazma Shaheen

Foods 2023, 12(4), 790; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12040790 - 13 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 5192

Abstract

The cost of diet has been recognized as a major determinant of overall diet quality and nutritional outcomes. We aimed to estimate the minimum cost and affordability of the recommended diet based on the updated food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) in Bangladesh. To compute the cost of the recommended diet (CoRD), we collected retail prices of foods corresponding to each of the food groups in the latest Bangladeshi FBDG. For affordability, the household size and daily food expenditure data were used from the most recent Household Income and Expenditure survey (HIES). The CoRD was calculated based on the average number of servings recommended for each food group; the CoRD was adjusted by a deflation factor and divided by the household’s daily food expenditure to estimate affordability. We found that the CoRD was $0.87 (83 BDT) per person per day at the national level. Nationally, about 43% of households could not afford the CoRD, with rural areas bearing a disproportionate share of the burden. We also found households to overspend on starchy staples while underspending on protein-rich foods, fruits, and dairy. These findings highlight the need for immediate implementation of interventions to improve the affordability of the CoRD and redesign policy instruments to create a sustainable food system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenging the Status Quo to Shape Food Systems Transformation from a Nutritional and Food Security Perspective: Second Edition)

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16 pages, 1335 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantitative Analysis of Food Safety Policy—Based on Text Mining Methods

by Cen Song, Jiaming Guo, Fatemeh Gholizadeh and Jun Zhuang

Foods 2022, 11(21), 3421; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11213421 - 28 Oct 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2918

Abstract

Recently, food safety and cold chain food have been closely related to the epidemic. The party and the state have intensified efforts to solve food safety problems and prevent possible epidemic risks. China has issued a series of policies and plans to strengthen food safety supervision to improve the food safety policy system. To our knowledge, little work has studied policy problems of food safety with in-depth quantitative analysis for an extended period. In accordance with the different national policies and regulations for food safety, this paper fills the gap by analyzing the policies and comparing the central and local policies issued in China from 2007–2022. In addition, the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic model and K-Means clustering model are constructed to analyze the content of food safety policies and identify hot topics. Finally, a quantitative analysis of China’s food safety policies is made from four aspects: the number of policy release years, the distribution area, the range of action, and the affiliated institutions. The results show that: (a) there is a partial surge in food safety policies issued in 2007, 2011, and 2017; (b) the local food safety policy has a high inheritance to the central policy content, and the trends of annual publication number are highly consistent; (c) the innovation of different policy contents in the region have their own characteristics; (d) the proportion of compulsory and capacity policies is much more significant than that of other types of policies. This paper provides some novel insights into food safety policies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenging the Status Quo to Shape Food Systems Transformation from a Nutritional and Food Security Perspective: Second Edition)

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23 pages, 2998 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How Does Income Heterogeneity Affect Future Perspectives on Food Consumption? Empirical Evidence from Urban China

by Wenbo Zhu, Yongfu Chen, Xinru Han, Jinshang Wen, Guojing Li, Yadong Yang and Zixuan Liu

Foods 2022, 11(17), 2597; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11172597 - 26 Aug 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1760

Abstract

China is undergoing a rapid dietary transition as well as a changing income distribution. In this paper, we examine the impacts of income heterogeneity on the prediction of food consumption using a dataset that covered 22,210 urban households in China’s 6 provinces. The two-stage Exact Affine Stone Index Implicit Marshallian Demand System (EASI demand system) model, which deals with the problem of censoring and endogeneity, is applied to estimate demand elasticity across income strata. Additionally, a dynamic simulation method considering income heterogeneity is conducted to predict future food consumption trends. The results reveal that income elasticity follows a decreasing trend with income growth. Furthermore, the results show that the consumption of major food items in the 15th period will increase by 7.9% to 42.0% over the base period. The growth potential of low-income groups is significantly higher than that of middle- and high-income groups. However, the prediction results may be overestimated if the differences in consumer behavior across income groups and the dynamic simulation procedure are not taken into account. Our study indicates that the consumption features of different income groups need to be included in food consumption forecasts. Moreover, the government should formulate food policies for different income groups to promote a sustainable food system transformation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenging the Status Quo to Shape Food Systems Transformation from a Nutritional and Food Security Perspective: Second Edition)

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17 pages, 1859 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Impacts of the Russia-Ukraine War on Global Food Security: Towards More Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems?

by Tarek Ben Hassen and Hamid El Bilali

Foods 2022, 11(15), 2301; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11152301 - 02 Aug 2022

Cited by 232 | Viewed by 56876

Abstract

As a conflict between two major agricultural powers, the Russia–Ukraine war has various negative socioeconomic impacts that are now being felt internationally and might worsen, notably, for global food security. If the war deepens, the food crisis will worsen, posing a challenge to many countries, especially those that rely on food imports, such as those in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Simultaneously, the war came at a bad time for global food markets because food prices were already high due to disruptions in the supply chain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, strong global demand, and poor harvests in some countries. Understanding how conflict-related disruptions in global food and fertilizer markets might affect price and availability is critical for understanding the overall impact on global food security. Further, four months into the war, its implications for food security suggest that this review is timely, urgent, and highly needed. Accordingly, this paper aims to investigate the Russia–Ukraine war’s direct and indirect impact on global food security. The paper highlights that the war resulted in immediate and far-reaching cascading consequences on global food security: Ukrainian exports have stopped, conscription and population displacement have caused labor shortages, access to fertilizers is restricted, and future harvests are uncertain. First, Ukraine’s export capacity has been hampered. Secondly, conscription and population displacement caused labor shortages. Thirdly, access to vital agricultural products such as fertilizers is also constrained. The war may delay spring planting and winter crop harvesting. Further, the war has indirect and cascading effects. Indeed, rising fertilizer costs may reduce their use and crop yields. Moreover, as seen during the 2007–2008 food crisis, export restrictions and speculation are driving up international prices and worsening the situation. Furthermore, the war triggered a panic buying movement at country and individual levels. Finally, the war may jeopardize the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG 1 (No poverty), SDG 2 (Zero hunger), and DG 12 (Responsible consumption and production). However, the consequences of the war on food security are being exacerbated by a variety of underlying rigidities, vulnerabilities, and inefficiencies in global food systems. Accordingly, the transition toward healthy, equitable, and ecologically sustainable food systems must be strengthened by adopting urgent and long-term reforms and policies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenging the Status Quo to Shape Food Systems Transformation from a Nutritional and Food Security Perspective: Second Edition)

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13 pages, 1100 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Amorphophallus konjac: Sensory Profile of This Novel Alternative Flour on Gluten-Free Bread

by Fernanda Laignier, Rita de Cássia de Almeida Akutsu, Bernardo Romão de Lima, Renata Puppin Zandonadi, António Raposo, Ariana Saraiva and Raquel Braz Assunção Botelho

Foods 2022, 11(10), 1379; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11101379 - 10 May 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2586

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the sensory profile of gluten-free bread with Amorphophallus konjac (AK) flour in different concentrations. This experimental study is divided into three steps: preparation of the gluten-free bread formulations, sensory analysis, and statistical analysis. The addition of Konjac flour in a gluten-free bread formulation was tested in different proportions, 12.5%, 25%, 37.5%, and 50% of the flour content. The checking all-that-apply (CATA) was conducted with 110 panelists; among these, 43 were consumers of gluten-free bread. Sensory analysis was conducted using a 9-point hedonic scale for color, aroma, texture, flavor, appearance, and overall acceptability. The AK flour influenced the sensory characteristics of gluten-free bread. Bread with characteristics closer to those found in bread with gluten was the one with 12.5% of konjac flour for both the acceptability analysis as the attributes raised through a detailed CATA map. The control sample is located next to features like dry appearance, dry texture and grainy, dark color, and salty. Therefore, 12.5% AK gluten-free bread is closer to the characteristics of the control sample, such as light crust color, light crumb color, soft and moist texture, cohesion, and brightness. The bread with the highest percentage of overall consumer acceptance was 12.5% konjac with 93% and 96% acceptance among consumers and non-consumers of gluten-free bread, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenging the Status Quo to Shape Food Systems Transformation from a Nutritional and Food Security Perspective: Second Edition)

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Review

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19 pages, 1562 KiB

Open AccessReview

Nutritional Profile of Commercialized Plant-Based Meat: An Integrative Review with a Systematic Approach

by Bernardo Romão, Raquel Braz Assunção Botelho, Maria Luiza Torres, Dayanne da Costa Maynard, Maria Eduarda Machado de Holanda, Vinícius Ruela Pereira Borges, António Raposo and Renata Puppin Zandonadi

Foods 2023, 12(3), 448; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12030448 - 18 Jan 2023

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3911

Abstract

Given the high cost of production of animal-based meats and the increase in the number of adepts of meatless diets, the need for plant-based meat substitutes is growing. In this prosperously growing market, there is a lack of knowledge about the nutritional value of these meat substitutes and their ingredients. This study aims to review the nutritional composition and ingredients of meat substitutes commercialized worldwide. An integrative review was performed with a systematic literature search in PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, and 11 studies were selected to compose the sample of this review. Data on meat substitutes’ nutritional composition and ingredients from different categories were collected and analyzed. The results showed that meat substitutes commonly present lower energy values and higher amounts of carbohydrates and dietary fiber. Protein values varied according to the meat substitute category, with some showing a higher concentration than others, more specifically in substitutes for bovine meat. Higher values were found in the Pieces category and lower in Seafood substitutes. Unlike animal meat, vegan meat has a proportion of carbohydrates higher than protein in most samples, except for chicken substitutes. Meat substitutes presented similar total and saturated fat content compared to their animal-based counterparts. Higher amounts of fat were found in the “Various” category and lower in “Pieces”. Ingredients such as soy, pea, and wheat were the primary protein sources in meat substitutes, and vegetable oils were their primary fat source. Methylcellulose, various gums, and flavorings were the most used food additives. In general, meat substitutes presented high concentrations of sodium, possibly collaborating with an excessive sodium intake, highlighting the need for developing sodium-reduced or sodium-free alternatives. Most of the included samples did not describe the concentration of iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. Further studies are needed to develop meat substitutes with better nutritional composition, fulfilling the need for equivalent substitutes for animal-based meat. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenging the Status Quo to Shape Food Systems Transformation from a Nutritional and Food Security Perspective: Second Edition)

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15 pages, 2584 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Review of the Challenges Facing Global Commercialization of the Artificial Meat Industry

by Weijun Liu, Zhipeng Hao, Wojciech J. Florkowski, Linhai Wu and Zhengyong Yang

Foods 2022, 11(22), 3609; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11223609 - 12 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3030

Abstract

The sustained growth of global meat consumption incentivized the development of the meat substitute industry. However, long-term global commercialization of meat substitutes faces challenges that arise from technological innovation, limited consumer awareness, and an imperfect regulatory environment. Many important questions require urgent answers. This paper presents a review of issues affecting meat substitute manufacturing and marketing, and helps to bridge important gaps which appear in the literature. To date, global research on meat substitutes focuses mainly on technology enhancement, cost reduction, and commercialization with a few studies focused on a regulatory perspective. Furthermore, the studies on meat substitute effects on environmental pollution reduction, safety, and ethical risk perception are particularly important. A review of these trends leads to conclusions which anticipate the development of a much broader market for the meat substitute industry over the long term, the gradual discovery of solutions to technical obstacles, upgraded manufacturing, the persistent perception of ethical risk and its influence on consumer willingness to accept meat substitutes, and the urgent need for constructing an effective meat substitute regulatory system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenging the Status Quo to Shape Food Systems Transformation from a Nutritional and Food Security Perspective: Second Edition)

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Other

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31 pages, 2173 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Exploration of Food Security Challenges towards More Sustainable Food Production: A Systematic Literature Review of the Major Drivers and Policies

by Sabreen Wahbeh, Foivos Anastasiadis, Balan Sundarakani and Ioannis Manikas

Foods 2022, 11(23), 3804; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11233804 - 25 Nov 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5225

Abstract

Food security is a central priority for international policy as one of the world’s most significantly urgent targets to achieve. It is considered one of the most pressing issues in many countries, the degree of food security representing the level of self-sufficiency and well-being of citizens. In particular, in the current COVID-19 pandemic era, it has more than ever become a mission-critical goal. In this research, we report on the food security drivers and the current state of recommended policies addressing chronic food insecurity aimed at ensuring the sustainability of future food production. Mapping the determinants of food security contributes to a better understanding of the issue and aids in the development of appropriate food security policies and strategies to enhance the sustainability of food production in all facets; namely environmental, social, and economic. Adopting the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) data screening and selection guidelines and standards, we carried out a comprehensive, reliable, systematic, and rigorous review of research from the last ten years in order to identify the most frequently mentioned drivers and policies of food security in the literature available in two databases: Scopus and Web of Science (WOS). The number of extracted articles was 141 papers in total. An analysis revealed 34 drivers of food security and 17 most recommended policies for the mitigation of food insecurity. The existence of food loss and waste (FLW) policies was the primary driver of food security, followed by food security policies (FSP) in their different forms. However, FSP were the most recommended policies, followed by FLW policies. The identified food security drivers and recommended policies should be used by policy-makers to improve food security, thus contributing to sustainable food production. Our research findings, reflected in the latest version of the Global Food Security Index (GFSI), resulted in more tangible policy implications, suggesting the addition of two dimensions regarding food security. We also identified elements not listed under the GFSI that could be considered in its future revision, including environmental policies/indicators, consumer representation, and traceability throughout the entire supply chain. Overall, it can be concluded that food security is a complicated and multi-faceted issue that cannot be restricted to a single variable, necessitating the deeper integration of various multi-disciplinary interventions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenging the Status Quo to Shape Food Systems Transformation from a Nutritional and Food Security Perspective: Second Edition)

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13 pages, 402 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Innovation in Healthy and Sustainable Food Product Development for Health and Aged Care: A Scoping Review

by Judi Porter, Nathan Cook, Ranil Coorey, Don Gunasekera, Martin Hensher, Deborah A. Kerr, Christina M. Pollard, Serene Yoong, Gary Dykes and Mark Lawrence

Foods 2022, 11(22), 3604; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11223604 - 11 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2977

Abstract

Population ageing and climate change are issues of global concern. Subsequently, the need for healthy and sustainable food systems to meet the increasing demands for health and aged care is evident. This review aimed to systematically identify studies reporting new or innovative foods, drinks and snack products in health and aged care, and describe health and environmental sustainability considerations where reported. Methods were guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines for scoping reviews and reported against the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Eligible studies were conducted in an inpatient healthcare setting or aged care facility where a new or innovative food, drink or snack product was evaluated with outcomes of product use, acceptability, cost, appropriateness for the population, and clinical or environmental sustainability outcomes in the last decade. Three databases were searched using a replicable strategy, with five publications of four studies included in the final library. Product innovations were led at the facility level and included testing dewaxed brown rice, talbinah, and an apple/pear juice fibre solution. Results suggest that food industry suppliers are operating in parallel with foodservices within hospital and aged care. Future intersection would be transformative for both industry sectors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenging the Status Quo to Shape Food Systems Transformation from a Nutritional and Food Security Perspective: Second Edition)

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Challenging the Status Quo to Shape Food Systems Transformation from a Nutritional and Food Security Perspective: Second Edition

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